Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-08-05
Jefferson Davis on Prohibition.

Jenerson Davis on Pr0hlbltl0n.
The following letter from Hon. jefferson
Davis on the question of prohibitory legis-
lation was read at the demonstration Of the
anti-prohibitionsts at Forth Worth, Texas
last week.
BEAUvoIR, MISS, July 90, 1887.
Col. f. II. Lubbock.-My Dear Friend :
Yours of the 18th inst, with its Enclosures,
has been received. have heretofore de-
clined to answer any of the inquiries made
| for my opinion on the constitutional amend
ment now pending in Texas. My reason
for not replying was an unwillingness to
enter into controversy in which my friends
in Texas stood arrayed against each ether.
In departing from the rule heretofore OBJ
served, trust 1t will not be an unwarrant-
able intrusion. Reared in the creed of de-
mocracy, my faith in its tenets has grown
with its growth, and adhere to the maxim
that "The world is governed too much"
When our fathers achieved their independ.
ence the cornerstone of the government
they constructed was individual liberty, and
the social organizations they established
were not for the surrender, but for the pro-
lection Of natural rights. For this govern
ments were established, deriving their Just
pOWCIS lI0tu bn6 COuSCub vi but kONcTueu.
This was not to subject themselves to the
will Of the majority, as appears from the fact
that each community inserted in its funda-
mental law a bill of rights to guard the in
alienabe privileges of the individual. There
was then atwoiold purpose in government,
protection and prevention against trespass
by the strong upon the weak, the many on
the few. The world had long suffered from
the expressions Of government under the
prctext of ruling by divine right, and ex-
cusing the invasion into private and domes-
tic affairs on the plea OF paternal care for
the morals and good order of the people.
Our sires rejected all such pretensions, their
system being: Government by the people
for the people, and resting on the basis of
natural, inalenable rights. Upon the basis
of these general propositions | will briefly
answer the inquiry in regard to the prohibit
ton amendment at issue.
"Be ye temperate In all things" was a
wise injunction, and weuld apply to in
tolerance as well as TO drunkenness. That
the Incorporate use of intoxicating liquors
is an evil few, if any, would deny. That it
is at the root Of many social disorders is
conceded, but then the question arises, what
is the appropriate remedy, and what the
present necessity To destroy individual
liberty and moral Responsibility would be
10 eradicate one evil by the substitution of
another, which, it is submitted, would be
more fatal than that for which it was Of
fered as remedy The abuse and not the
use OF stimulants, il must be confessed, is
the evil to be remedied Then II clearly
follows that action should clearly be d.
rected against the abuse rather than the
use. Ii drunkenness he the cause of dis
order and crime, why not pronounce drunk
enness itself To be a crime, and attach to IT
proper and adequate penaltiesY II it be OBJ
jected that the penalties could not be en-
forced, that is an admission that popular
opinion would he opposed To the law; but
il it be true that juries could not be I'M
panect who would convict 50 degraded
criminal as a drankard, 1t necessarily fol-
lows that statutory prohibition against
the sale aud use OF intoXicants would be
dead letter The next branch OF the inquiry
is as 10 the present necessity
might appeal to men not as old as my
self ~ sustain the assertion that the con
vival use OF intoxicants and the occurrence
Of drunkenness had become less frequent
within the last twenty years than IL was
before. The refining influences of educa
ton and Christianity may be credited with
this result. Why not allow these blessed
handmaidens Of virtue and morality to con
tinue unembarrassed in their civilizlng work.
The parties IL this discussion in your State
have no doubt brought forward the statis-
tica facts in regard 10 the effect produced
in ether States by this effort TO control
morals by legislation, and l will not encum.
Der this letter by any reference to those
facts. You have already provision for local
prohibition If it has proved the wooden
horse in which disguised enemy TO State
sovereignty as the guardian of individual
liberty was introduced, then lett be warn
ing that the progressive march would prob
ably be from village ~ State and from State
to United States-a governmental super
vision and paternity instead Of the liberty
the heroes Of 1776 left as legacy 10 their
posterity.
Impelled by the affection and gratitude
feel for the people Of Texas, and the belief
that great question Of American policy is
involved in the issue you have before you,
the silence had hoped to observe has been
broken. If the utterances shall avail any
thing for good it will compensate me for. the
objurgations with which | shall doubtless
be pursued by the followers of the popu-
larism of the day. | hope the many who
have addressed me letturs Of inquiry on the
same subject will accept this as an answer,
though somewhat long delayed.
Faithfully yours, JEFFERSON DAVIS.
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